Vehicles having an operator's control console with one or more control levers for selectively shifting the transmission into neutral and a plurality of speed range drive conditions, and with at least one separately actuated parking brake device are known in the art. However, these transmission and parking brake control arrangements have heretofore been relatively complicated and expensive. Specifically, they must insure that the transmission is not placed in a driving gear with the parking brake inadvertently engaged, or vice versa. In order to achieve this, complex interlocks or inhibitors are utilized, or the system is constructed in such a manner that the parking brake is automatically released when the transmission lever is shifted out of a neutral condition. Alternately, some arrangements force the transmission shift lever to neutral when the parking brake is engaged. Most of these prior art arrangements include at least two separate levers or control devices that must be simultaneously positioned with close attention by the operator. This is time-consuming and bothersome.
Partly overcoming the aforementioned problems are the transmission and parking brake control systems which utilize a single control lever and which are represented by U.S. Pat. No. 3,242,758 to K. J. Harris et al on Mar. 29, 1966 and U.S. Pat. No. 3,601,231 to F. Kolacz et al on Aug. 24, 1971. However, both of the reference systems are too costly in their construction and embody complicated mechanical linkage arrangements intermediate the transmission control lever and a parking brake actuating mechanism. As a result, these systems are subject to malfunction due to wear and adjustment problems, and require the frequent services of an expert mechanic.